1. Field
The present invention relates to ceiling fans and, more particularly, to ceiling fans having a unitary motor and switch housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electric ceiling fans are commonly utilized to assist heating and air conditioning systems by providing an additional degree of air circulation within the confines of a room. A typical ceiling fan comprises a motor suspendable from a ceiling, a housing surrounding such motor, a switch (or switches) for allowing selective control of the motor, a separate housing for the switch, and a plurality of blades attached to the motor. Generally speaking, modern ceiling fans can be broadly categorized into two groups: those having blades attached to the bottom surface of the motor, an those having blades attached to the top surface of the motor. An example of the former category is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,725, issued Mar. 8, 1988, entitled "Mounting System for Selectively Mounting Ceiling Fans", while an example of the second category is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4, 518,314, issued May 21, 1985, entitled "Decorative Fan Motor Cover and Mounting Structure Therefore".
As exemplified in the above referenced U.S. patents, ceiling fans typically include a multicomponent housing, comprising an upper housing member for encasing at least the exposed side and lower surfaces of the motor, and a second housing member for encasing the switches employed to control the operation of the fan motor. The '314 patent illustrates a typical assembly for a fan having top mounted blades, which includes a plurality of housing members secured by a collection of plates, panels, brackets, screws, and other miscellaneous hardware.
As illustrated in the above referenced '725 patent, modern ceiling fans are typically suspended by means of a ball and socket arrangement, wherein a ball, or at least a portion thereof, is secured to the upper end of a rod and is seated in a socket, or hole, formed in a canopy secured to the ceiling. The lower end of the rod is secured to the fan motor, typically by means of a pin and retaining clip or a screw and a nut. Such arrangements generally require an additional adaptor component for providing a method of attachment between the lower end of the hanger rod and the fan motor.
The above-referenced patents also illustrate the well-known construction technique for ceiling fans of virtually all types, wherein the blades are attached to the motor by means of individual brackets commonly referred to as blade irons. Such blade irons typically comprise a functional and decorative component of the fan, having one end secured to the blade by two or three screws, with the other end being similarly attached to the motor by two additional screws. Blade irons serve not only as attachment means for securing the blades to the motor, but also as mechanisms for establishing a desired angle of attack for the blades in order to provide the necessary degree of air displacement. Conventional blade irons add to the cost of ceiling fans and occasionally break, thereby resulting in a potentially hazardous situation.
There is a need in the art for a simplified ceiling fan construction, so that the number of components necessary to comprise an attractive and functional housing is minimized. There is a similar need in the art for a simplified hanging system, and for a simplified and less hazardous blade attachment method.